Network devices, such as routers, switches, firewalls, or the like, often handle network traffic in the form of network packets (e.g., data packets) that are transmitted between network entities (e.g., devices operating on a network). In some situations, network devices may implement security rules designed to protect various network entities from a variety of potential threats, such as malware, hacking attempts, denial of service attacks, unauthorized access, or the like. Security rules often cause network devices to inspect network traffic, including individual network packets, to determine whether potential threats exist and, if so, how the network packets should be handled.